Chapter 3: Chapter 3

“I can’t believe she actually likes someone” Chad laughed.

“Guess how I felt when she told me” he made a face. “I always thought a girl who hates boys that much has to be gay”.

“Is she too much to handle?” Chad asked.

“No way. Annoying yes, but too much no”.

“So what did you do?” Chad asked.

“What I always do. Leave them speechless”.

“Who do you think the poor guy is?” Chad asked.

“Probably me” he replied sure.

“What?” Chad asked.

“It is really obvious. She telling me she likes someone and I’ll want to find out, spending time with her and thinking I’ll fall for her”.

Chad was left speechless.

“Well I have to go find her. Wish me luck”.

Kelly decided to head to the fields to read. Why would anyone want to read there? It was noisy and a lot of distractions, but she liked the scenery. The green grass, the brown tracks, and everyone just doing what they wanted to do.

It was beautiful and peaceful. She wished she could paint a picture.

“Sup Kel!” Jason whispered suddenly.

“Gah!” she yelled almost diving out of her chair.

“Gah? You’re hilarious” he laughed sitting down heavily by her side.

“Can you go away?”

“Don’t you get tired of that?” Jason asked with a smile.

“No because I don’t like you and I’m pretty sure you don’t like me”.

“Who says so?”

“Me” she replied removing her glasses.

He hadn’t noticed her eyes before. They were a nice blue grey. It was nice. Really pretty. Too bad the person who had the eyes had a very ugly personality.

She irritated him so much and just made him want to do things she didn’t want to do. She just made him so angry.

“Why do you wear glasses anyway?”

“I can’t see very well. The glasses corrects my sight”.

“Thought about contacts?”

“I don’t want anything getting close to my eye”.

“If you keep doing this, how do you expect the boy you like to notice you?”

She was silent.

“Have you thought about that?”

“I have actually” she whispered.

“Whoa! You actually thought about a boy noticing you? I can’t believe you” he laughed.

“Suit yourself” she huffed standing up.

“Wait….”

“Jason!” a girl yelled from the front.

He looked at Kelly and then to the girl at the front.

“Come hang out with us”.

“We….”

“Your fans are waiting” Kelly said getting herself ready.

“I have somewhere to take you after school. Meet me at the parking lot”.

Kelly just picked up her book and Jason made his way past her down the steps.

“What are you doing with her?” the leader of the three girls asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“She’s just weird” another girl whispered.

“Anyway on to more important things. What are you doing this weekend?”

Jason looked up just in time to see Kelly’s back disappear from sight.

“I’m not doing anything, but something may come up and so I make no promises”.

“Don’t treat a girl like that Jason” she whined.

Jason sat on the trunk of his car waiting for Kelly who was a no show. She didn’t actually blow him off, did she? She wouldn’t. A guy like him way out of her league, taking his time to talk to her when no one else would.

He saw her approach and he slapped a smile onto his face.

“Hey” he waved.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I told you I have somewhere to take you”.

“Where?” she asked bluntly.

“It’s a surprise. You really know how to take the joy out of things” he grumbled.

“Then let me just leave so I don’t suck out the joy”.

“Don’t be like that. Please let’s just go”.

“Well I am curious” she thought about it for a while and then she accepted it.

She got into the car and Jason drove. It was quiet. He didn’t bring up conversation and she wasn’t one to bring up conversation anyway.

Soon they arrived at what looked like an empty picnic spot up the hill.

“What are we doing here?”

“Well I like coming here sometimes. It’s my quiet place”.

“So you wanted to show me your quiet place, why?”

“I’m trying to do something nice, and it’s peaceful” he said in an exasperated tone. “Can we just sit and talk?”

She didn’t reply, but she led herself to a picnic table.

“So we were talking about you thinking about a boy” he smiled biting his lips.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes we were and it doesn’t matter. If he can’t notice me when I’m like this then there’s no need”.

“Why would anyone notice you when you blend into the shadows? And you dress like a grandma and who have you seen attracted to grandma fashion?”

“It doesn’t help talking to you”.

“Well maybe if you drop your hair, and remove your glasses, and change your fashion sense….”

‘You wouldn’t look bad actually. You could maybe be pretty’.

“I’m not changing anything for anyone”.

“Seriously why are you like that all the time? Always so like this? Annoyed and mean all the time. Cranky” he finished.

“I am not cranky. I am myself”.

“Trust me when I say you need some dick in your life”.

Kelly gawked. Her mouth wide open.

She came back to her senses. “Don’t say such vulgar things!”

“It is the truth” he shrugged. ‘It’ll change your life and make you less bitchy’.

“It’s not the truth and I will very much like to change the topic”.

A nice long dick. Maybe his own. He could just imagine….

He grimaced. No! No way. Why did he think about that? The girl was infecting him with her weirdness. Why did he even think about her in that way? Her and sex shouldn’t go together.

“Okay let’s talk about something else” he agreed. For his own sanity.

“What do you want to know?” she asked placing both elbows on the table.

“What’s the deal with you? I can still remember you called yourself weird one time”.

“Oh that” she said passing air through her closed lips and he just noticed how full and pink. “Well I really haven’t talked to anyone since freshmen year, and then word started going round that I’m proud, and then I’m weird, and many more stories about me that I think sometimes I have a lookalike doing all that stuff”.

“So that’s why people call you weird. Why don’t you talk to people and tell them everything is a lie”.

“I don’t care about them at all. They can say what they want, I know the truth”.

“Why don’t you talk to anyone?”

“I don’t want to talk to anyone. They all rub me the wrong way. I’ve already explained this to you so stop asking me!”

“Okay, okay fine”.

“Good” she sighed.

“So tell me who you like”.

“Back to boys!” she yelled raising both arms up.

“So are you going to tell me?”

“No” she replied.

“Do I know him?” Jason asked leaning closer causing her to move back.

‘Weird’ he thought.

“I don’t know. You seem to know everybody”.

He smirked on the inside.

“Okay let’s take it away from boys now. Have you kissed a boy before?”

She glared at him.

“I’m guessing that’s a no” he hummed.

“Like I would want to exchange saliva with anyone. That is disgusting”.

“What if the guy you like wants to do it with you?”

She was silent. Which meant she was considering it and wouldn’t be opposed to it. He hoped.

“Well when you put it that way” she whispered her eyes on the table. “It doesn’t sound so bad”.

“What about sex?”

“Do you have to ruin things?”

‘I should be the one saying that’ Jason thought.

“Sex is for after marriage”.

Jason laughed.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing” he laughed again.

She waited for him to finish.

It was just so funny. He remembered when he told himself that. That he’d save himself for marriage. Well she looked like she’d stick to it.

“Are you done now?” she asked.

“Yes” he replied sitting up. “So if you don’t like sex, tell me what you like”.

“I like my education and….”

“Well I figured. School and all that. But apart from books, what else?”

“Well there is…..no don’t worry about it”.

“What? No way, tell me!”

“I do like dancing”.

Okay he wasn’t expecting that. Knowing her and how she loved to ruin things, she may say ballroom dancing or something close.

“Ballet to be specific”.

“So you’re flexible?” Jason smirked.

“Yes” she replied not actually seeing anything wrong with the question. “But that’s just a distraction”.

“It’s not if you are really passionate about it”. He saw the way her eyes lit up when he mentioned the word. It was the first time she really looked to be enjoying their conversations.

“It’s a distraction and I can’t afford to get distracted when I have to go to college”.

“What do you want to be?”

“A lawyer” she replied.

‘Well you certainly dress like one’ he thought. If she liked dancing she should really go for it. He really wondered how she was raised. She had no phone, everything was bad in her eye, and dressing so old. She really wasn’t enjoying her teenage years.

“What do you hate?”

“Jason Angle”’ she replied but she couldn’t hide her smile.

He was quiet. He wasn’t going to lose it. He was not going to blow up.

Just then an idea hit him.

“This guy you like…” he began and he could see she had all her attention.

“If you had the chance, would you go for it?”

“Yes” she replied without thinking.

“And would you kiss him?” he teased. “You know, exchange saliva?”

“Like I said, I would” she repeated.

“What about sex?” he looked at her holding in a laugh. “Would you fornicate with him too?”

She was suspiciously silent. Okay that was weird. Was she really mulling it over? “Huh….Kelly?” he asked.

“It wouldn’t be call fornication. I love him, and if he loves me back, it’d be called making love. Different from what you do!” she pointed out smartly.

“Eh?” he looked at her confused.

“You don’t love the girls you sleep with” she explained slowly. “Am I wrong or am I right?” she looked him in the eye, daring him to prove her wrong.

“L-love mustn’t be involved before you-before that happens” he stuttered. So uncharacteristic of him.

“Yes. That’s why there’s sex, and there’s making love” she finished.

“I thought you said sex is for actual marriage?” he asked, unwilling to let her get away with that. Was she trying to lie with him?

“Eventually, making love…” she made air quotes. “Turns into sex over time in marriage. That’s why most partners cheat. It won’t even be sex for me because my love won’t fade over time”. She had a dreamy smile as she said so.

Jason just stared. Lost and dumbfounded. Was she really in love with this guy? And whoever he was, did he love her back. Loving at such a young age only led to one thing. Getting hurt.

“Who is he?” he asked softly.

“Someone you know” and she sounded teasing.

He didn’t know why she and others took the term weird. She was a normal high school student. Well she seemed like someone in her freshman year than in her senior year. With the dumb, love-struck expression. She should know the truth. Things like that didn’t always work out in high school.

‘Could it be me?’ he thought. She said someone he knew. And she was being really mean to him. She might be using film logic. Being mean to him, when in reality she liked him. So she wouldn’t make it easy for him. He hid his victorious smirk. He would play her game.

“And has this boy ever noticed you? Talked to you even?” time for him to be serious. He needed to find out about this ‘mystery boy’.

“I’m not really sure. But since I was schooling here, we have exchanged words. Not full conversations, but he is outgoing” she had a smile, seemed to be remembering a distant memory. Her dreamy face was really funny.

“You are seriously gone for this guy” he laughed.

“Yeah” she agreed looking down at the table. “I am gone” she agreed with him.

“And….would you like for him to notice you?” time for him to be excited.

“Well, yes. It is senior year, I’m not sure if I’ll ever see him again. There’s no time for me to live my life, the way I want like the present” she said vehemently.

“Awesome!” he exclaimed. A little bit too loud and suspicious for her, but she didn’t care. It was strange he was asking about the boy she liked, but that made her happy. And talking about the boy she liked to someone other than herself, was actually really nice. He seemed to understand. Maybe Jason was sincere in his motive to be her friend.

Looks like he would be borrowing everything he knew from the movies. She pretended not to like him, and he was pretending to be clueless. She would be in need of a complete makeover to want to catch the attention of the boy she liked, which was him. They would get closer, until he wears her down and she gives herself to him. He’ll get his five thousand dollars, and she’ll get her experience that things wouldn’t always turn out the way she wanted.

She was so innocent and oblivious to some things, that he actually felt bad for her.

“I have an idea!” he announced.

“Which is what?” she sounded interested to him.

“We’re going to make this guy you like notice you. Are you game?” he leaned closer, his eyes playful, but his whole demeanor serious.

“I-I don’t know…..” she had said earlier she didn’t want to change herself for anyone. But this was for someone she liked. And she wasn’t dumb. She knew the type of girls majority of boys liked, and she wasn’t that. But she loved him, and wanted his attention.

“I know that you said…..”

“I accept!” she grinned. “I’m game. What’s your plan?” she was so happy.

“Do you have a swimsuit?” he questioned.

Her excited look left her face for a while. “Yeah I do. Why?”

“Tomorrow, your education begins. We’re going to the beach” he explained.

“But why do we need to go to the beach for that?” she asked genuinely confused.

“Don’t doubt my methods” he dismissed her worries. “Beach tomorrow. Should we meet there, or will I pick you up?” he asked.

“I’ll meet you there”.

“But you don’t have a phone” he pointed out. “Let me just come pick you up” he offered. He didn’t get why she was so adamant about keeping him away.

“Don’t worry about it” she waved it off. “We’ll see tomorrow. Can you take me back now?” she asked so soft, that he could consider her sweet. But he knew just how bitter she was.

“Sure” he wouldn’t spoil it for her. He had made her day. Made her a promise to get the boy she liked to notice her. Which would be a date. Just the two of them at the beach. She was already falling. And soon, Chad would be handing over his money.

“And stop here” Kelly said.

“Why can’t I just drop you at your door?” he questioned. It was really weird.

“This is okay” she stepped out. “Tomorrow, bright and early” she smiled at him. She had been smiling throughout today. Normally, she doesn’t smile at him. Today was really her lucky day. She was in love with him. How sad.

“I think you should really get a phone. When the boy you love notices you, is it only in school you’ll talk?” he had never met someone else like her. Not even the strictest of parents.

“I’ll handle that. Later Jason” she closed the door. “Tomorrow” and she began her walk.

He watched her go, but he couldn’t wait till she walked to a house. She wouldn’t be inviting him to her house, and he wouldn’t be with her long enough to be in her house. He reversed and drove off.

Kelly opened the door, with a blinding smile on her face.

Senior year was going to……wouldn’t be so bad. Was this how it was for her sister? Was it little things like this that caused…..NO. She wasn’t her sister. She wouldn’t commit the same mistake that her sister did. She had learnt from her mistake. Her mum had thoroughly talked to her and advised her.

She knew what to do and not what to do.

She did a little twirl and ran up the stairs. That smile not leaving her face as she walked into her room, straight to her closet and looked for her swimsuit. The beach….she lost her smile a little. When everything was still okay between the three of them, they used to go to the beach. Every weekend.

At that time, she didn’t know. But now it seemed that the beach was the only thing her mum loved. Now there wasn’t anything they did together anymore. They weren’t a family anymore.

Adriana had just….

She couldn’t let that dampen her mood.

Soon, she’d have her relationship. And she’d be happy.

Jason was surprisingly okay to talk to. She didn’t know what to expect from him if they interacted. But, he was actually helping her. She should be suspicious. What was he planning? Why anyway? What did he hope to get out of it?

She rummaged through her closet.

Smiling to herself and humming a tune.

All the while, she didn’t know her mum stood there, silently watching her. She hummed to herself and walked away.

Something was wrong, she thought to herself.